Latinos... “Low Hanging Fruit” For Animal Rights Activists?

When you look at efforts from just about every industry in the United States trying to tap into the emerging Latino market, one has to wonder when Animal Rights Activists will follow suit.

Companies are investing millions of dollars trying to reach this segment of the population. With some estimates putting Latino purchasing power at more than a trillion dollars, it just makes sense that companies would invest money and resources in this growing demographic.

Latinos are the largest and youngest minority group in the United States. According to data from the Pew Hispanic Center, by 2020, about 25% of all US children will be Latino. By 2025, 1 out of every two persons entering the workforce will also be Latino. The implications of these demographic changes will certainly influence how companies will conduct business in the very near future.

A study done at the Social Work Department of the University of New Hampshire by Jerry D. Marx in 2008 indicated that Latinos were eight times more likely to donate to human service organizations when using payroll deduction. In addition, Latinos who were solicited for donations over the phone were twice as likely to donate to educational organizations as Latino donors not solicited by phone. This could mean an opportunity for organizations funded by private donations to sustain their activist agendas.

What has been done by leading animal rights organizations to reach out to this market? Not a lot as far as I can tell. The HSUS does have a publication in Spanish available at one of their websites – “Spanish 101 for Staff at Animal Shelters”, but other than that, not much else I could find.

However, back in 2008, PETA (which is funded by HSUS according to an IRS disclosure on their website) made unsuccessful attempts to buy ads from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency to be placed at each of the nine southwest border sectors, apparently without success. Nonetheless, it seems they are aware of this population segment to market their messages. If ads had been approved, then those considering entry into the United States would have read this message: "If the border patrol doesn't get you, the chicken and burgers will. Go vegan" (or, in Spanish, "Si no te agarra la migra, te atraparán el pollo y las hamburguesas. Sé vegano").

Then, just recently, PETA again proposed to help the U.S. Custom and Border Protection agency secure the border by providing funds if they were allowed to hang their "Say No to Pot (Roast)" signs on the border.

Are Latinos a ground-floor opportunity for Animal Rights Activists? Time will only tell, but as someone might say, those who get there first, may get the first pickings!

I thank you for reading, and for your comments.

Orlando Gil TCTS LLC

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